Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that a key injury scuppered some of his plans in the recent Champions League campaign.
In a group consisting of Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, and Lazio, the Hoops finished bottom, accumulating four points across six arduous games.
Although their tally from the 2022/23 group stage was doubled, Celtic fans were still left somewhat disheartened by the way things panned out.
The defeat at home to Lazio was heartbreaking, and sendings-off didn’t help away at Feyenoord and Atletico.
While The Bhoys were unfortunate at times, gaffer Rodgers has admitted that a particular unavailability caused some of his plans for the group phase to be tarnished.
In recent weeks, midfielder Tomoki Iwata has made a positive impact on the Celtic team, coming in and keeping things simple in the middle of the park.
The boss has revealed that he wanted to utilise him more in Europe: “He would have played more games if he had been fit”, he said (Glasgow Times).
“There were periods when he was going to play in some of the Champions League games but he wasn’t quite ready.
“I’m just pleased he’s done well when he’s come in.”
In Europe’s premier club competition this season, Iwata managed to play just over an hour.
He came on for the closing stages in Rotterdam when the Celts went down to nine men and it was a case of damage limitation. The midfielder also got the last 20 away at Atleti in a similar scenario.
It was only in the last game of the group versus Feyenoord at home that he got an opportunity to shine but less than 20 minutes in, he sustained an injury that eventually kept him out for two months.
It has been an inconsistent season for the 26-year-old, and one wonders how things may have panned out if he was fit throughout the group stage because his simplicity and natural defensive-mindedness, combined with the protection he brings to the back-four, may well have altered how things panned out.
